When you’re serving a crowd and the menu includes a lot of flavours, don’t try to match the wine to every dish. Instead, match it to the main and accept that some dishes may clash — such as Aunt Mildred’s marshmallow sweet potato casserole. No matter what lands on the table, these six wines from Ontario will keep everyone happy.
Pinot Noir and turkey is a classic pairing. The wine’s cranberry-scented appeal, supple texture and light body lend immediate compatibility to the poultry. While Ontario can craft beautiful expressions, few are as lovely as this one. Shining a transparent ruby hue, each glass exudes shy scents of poached cranberry laced with violet and underbrush. The entry is a sweep of cool silk. It slips in slowly, then cascades with sheer flavours of cherry, roasted red berries and almond, followed by a dried earth finish. (13% alc., 0.2 g/L sugar)
2025 Leaning Post The Fifty Chardonnay VQA Niagara Peninsula
Score 94
(Vintages 578864, $26.95)
The vibrant, almost crystalline nature of this unwooded Chardonnay makes the gravy seem richer and the turkey’s golden skin seem crisper and more decadent. Each glassful starts with sandstone and sea spray on the nose before flooding in with an intense, saline-rich luminosity. As the wine retreats, salt and stone emerge quite articulately before lemon cream and orange zest come to the fore and stay a while. This is a Vintages release, so buy a few bottles to tuck away for serving and gifting. (12% alc., 2 g/L sugar)
Ham is of course pork cured with salt. So a tart-sweet white works fabulously. Count on this semi-dry Riesling when you want to please everyone but keep your budget in check. From the scent of apricot preserves to the crisp-yet-succulent attack, the pleasure is immediate. Think apricot, candied pear and lime zest flavours: clear and transparent — letting the taste of the meat shine through. And a steely seam of acidity keeps the wine vertical, taut. After dinner, serve this Riesling with apple pie. (9% alc., 38 g/L sugar)
2025 Popcorn Cabernet Franc Rosé VQA Niagara Peninsula
Score 92
(LCBO 48725, $17.95)
Juicy rosé pairs very well with ham — and this bottle is a case in point. Just as the sweet goodness of pineapple, apricot or honey are traditionally used to glaze ham, the bright strawberry character of this new listing at the LCBO balances the pork’s salty richness beautifully. Each sip tastes like biting into a just-ripe berry — clean and fresh, but not yet jammy. And the texture is pure satin. Taste this rosé to see why it belongs on the table after Labour Day. (12.5% alc., 3 g/L sugar)
Wine to go with roast beef or mushroom loaf
2025 Henry of Pelham Family Estate Baco Noir VQA Ontario
Score 92
(LCBO 270926, $16.95)
For a red that’s ripe, round and full of fruit — and low in price — it’s hard to beat this bottle. It’s jam-packed with black forest fruit — blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries with a touch of savoury smokiness. And it stands up well to a pan-seared, oven-roasted rib roast — or earthy-rich mushroom loaf. The sweet-fruited centre holds hedonistic appeal, while balancing acidity keeps it supremely drinkable. Keep the bottle on the table and serve dark chocolate torte with it for dessert. No one will say no. (13% alc., 12 g/L sugar)
2022 Strewn Rogue’s Lot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon VQA Niagara Peninsula
Score 92
(LCBO 65342, $14.95)
Cabernet and roast beef, or mushrooms, is a no-brainer. But lush expressions of Cabernet at low prices are hard to come by, which is why this blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon earns a place on the list. The aromas call to mind black cherry and raspberry dusted with cocoa and drizzled with butterscotch. Then, crushed velvet fruit rushes in tasting plush, lifted and quenching, echoing the aromas, before tapering to a dark chocolate and toasted almond finish. Dry but not too dry and excellent value. (12.8% alc., 9 g/L sugar)
